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The Indian Navy marked a major milestone in maritime capability with the commissioning of INS Nistar on Friday at Visakhapatnam, India’s first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel (DSV). Delivered by Hindustan Shipyard Limited on 8 July, INS Nistar is a highly specialised platform that redefines India’s deep-sea rescue and diving support operations. With nearly 75% indigenous content and constructed to the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) standards, INS Nistar is a significant leap in naval self-reliance and operational sophistication.
INS Nistar’s arrival anchors a new era in India’s ability to conduct safe, sustained, and precise submarine rescue missions independently. As a technological force multiplier, the vessel not only enhances the Navy’s operational confidence but also contributes to maritime security, aids in maintaining and expanding critical underwater infrastructure, and underpins disaster relief efforts.
INS Nistar is the first step towards a modern, self-reliant fleet, soon to be joined by new Fleet Support Ships (FSS). Together, these platforms will extend the Indian Navy’s ‘Blue Water’ reach and provide vital backup across humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and national security missions.
INS Nistar: A Leap Ahead in Underwater Rescue Operations
Before INS Nistar, the Indian Navy lacked an indigenous, full-scale DSV. Earlier, the Navy operated a Soviet-acquired rescue vessel, also named Nistar, whose legacy of underwater rescue continues now in entirely Indian hands. With its Sanskrit name meaning “liberation” or “rescue,” INS Nistar now stands among a select few such ships worldwide, reflecting India’s commitment to world-class underwater operational readiness.
At 118 meters in length and displacing nearly 10,000 tons, INS Nistar has joined the Eastern Naval Command, ready to execute complex deep-sea missions as a core component of India’s underwater safety net.
Advanced Diving Support and Saturation Diving Capability
Diving Support Vessels (DSVs), such as INS Nistar, are critical for professional and sustained underwater operations. INS Nistar enables deep-sea saturation diving up to 300 meters, using advanced systems that allow divers to live and work at depth for extended periods. The ship also supports side-stage diving operations up to 75 meters, accommodating a variety of complex underwater tasks.
These capabilities are essential not only for submarine rescue but also for underwater inspection, maintenance, and repair of vital maritime infrastructure, including subsea pipelines, cables, and offshore installations. INS Nistar is equipped with advanced systems, including dynamic positioning, which ensures precise and stable positioning during underwater operations, even in challenging sea states.
Mother Ship for Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs)
A central feature of INS Nistar is its role as a Mother Ship for Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs), specialised submersibles designed specifically for submarine crew rescues. In the rare but dire event of a submarine accident, time and precision are critical for the survival of trapped submariners.
How DSRVs Work: In an emergency, the DSRV is launched from INS Nistar, navigates to the stricken submarine, docks with its hatch, and facilitates the safe transfer of crew to the surface. INS Nistar’s advanced handling systems, including a 15-ton subsea crane and dynamic positioning, ensure the safe launch and retrieval of the DSRV, even in deep and challenging conditions.
ROVs and Diver Monitoring: For added safety and mission flexibility, INS Nistar is equipped with Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) that enable monitoring of diving operations and salvage operations up to depths of 1,000 meters.
Medical Support and Endurance
INS Nistar is equipped with extensive onboard medical facilities, including an operating theatre, an intensive care unit, an eight-bed hospital, and hyperbaric medical facilities, which are vital for treating casualties from deep-sea or submarine rescue missions.
The vessel’s endurance exceeds 60 days at sea, giving it unmatched sustainability for extended search, rescue, and underwater operations. Its design also accommodates helicopter operations, further enhancing its capability as a rapid-response platform over vast stretches of the Indian Ocean.
Huma Siddiqui
